Undesirable output detection in imaging device

Abstract

A method for detecting and managing undesirable output in the operation of an imaging system which includes an imaging job format interpreter, an output engine downstream from the interpreter, and a processing region intermediate the interpreter and the engine. The method operates in the processing region, and involves independently examining imaging-job data to detect the possibility that a particular imaging job is potentially a candidate for creating undesirable output, and placing such a job candidate, as least temporarily, in a state of suspension from completion.

1 . A method for detecting and managing undesirable output in the operation of an imaging system which includes an imaging job format interpreter, an output engine downstream from the interpreter, and a processing region intermediate the interpreter and the engine, said method comprising 
 in the processing region, examining imaging-job data to detect, independently, from that data the possibility that a particular imaging job is potentially a candidate for creating undesirable output, and    placing such a job candidate, as least temporarily, in a state of suspension from completion.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said examining is performed by applying selected rules to imaging-job data.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  which further comprises enabling selective configuration of the rules.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said applying utilizes candidate-indicating rules drawn from a non-exclusive list including: (a) an excessive number of blank pages relative to the total number of job pages; (b) an excessive number of consecutive blank pages; (c) a high-use-of-toner average across all pages in a job; (d) low content relative to the total number of job pages; (e) excessive clipping of content; f) unprintable text; (g) a blank front-page side of a duplex (two-sided) document; and (h) the presence of content obscured by binding options.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interpreter processes/reformats imaging-job data into an intermediate data format, which reformatted data is thereafter placed by streaming into a queue for subsequent processing into output-engine-ready data, and said examining is performed as such interpreter-processed job data is streamed into the processing queue.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interpreter processes/reformats imaging-job data into an intermediate data format, which reformatted data is thereafter placed into a queue for subsequent processing into output engine-ready data, and said examining is performed in the portion of the processing region which is intermediate the queue and the output engine.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said examining is performed fully before any output-engine-data is supplied to the output engine.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said examining is performed in parallel with the supplying of output-engine-ready data to the output engine.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interpreter processes imaging-job data into a format which makes it output-engine-ready data, which output-engine-ready data is thereafter placed by streaming into an output-engine-ready queue, and said examining is performed as such output-engine-ready data is streamed into the output-engine-ready queue.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interpreter processes imaging-job data into a format which makes it output-engine-ready data, which output-engine-ready data is thereafter placed into an output-engine-ready queue, and said examining is performed in the portion of the processing region which is intermediate the queue and the output engine.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said examining is performed fully before any output-engine data is supplied to the output engine.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said examining is performed in parallel with the supplying of output-engine-ready data to the output engine.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said placing in a state of suspension is linked with offering the imaging-system operator with a choice of one of (a) canceling a job, and (b) resuming a job.  
   
   
       14 . A method for the detection of prospective undesirable output in the operation of an imaging system comprising 
 establishing an implementable, post-interpreter practice for detecting, relative to the format of an imaging job presented to the system, selected categories of potential, undesirable image outputs based independently on a review of job data,    effectively placing that practice operatively intermediate an imaging-job data format interpreter and an output imaging-job engine, which are upstream/downstream, respectively, and relative to one another in such a system, and    implementing this thus placed practice with respect to imaging-job data whose format is interpreted by the interpreter.    
   
   
       15 . A method implementable in a computer-based imaging system for preventing undesirable imaging-job output comprising 
 assessing imaging-job data independently to detect evidence that undesirable output may result from outputting the job, and    with regard to the positive detecting of such evidence relative to a particular job, suspending outputting of that job.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said suspending is carried out in a user-defeatable/overideable manner.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said assessing involves examining imaging-job data which has been formatted into one of (a) an intermediate data format, and (b) an output-engine-ready data format.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said examining is performed in a way which is based upon selectively configurable rules for examination.